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Overview
Ever wondered where the term "baker's dozen" came from? Here's an unusual holiday tale drawn from an old folk tradition that answers that question. Aaron Shepard creates a world where it is not unusual for Saint Nicholas himself to make an appearance and for Christmas magic to appear in the form of holiday cookies. In old New York, a local baker learns an important lesson in generosity and so will young readers as they pore over the richly illustrated pages of this timeless, unforgettable book.A baker in colonial New York learns the importance of generosity from an old woman who visits his shop on St. Nicholas Day.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
With the voice of the storyteller, Aaron Shepard retells a favorite Colonial legend. With elegant, opulent paintings, the Colonial setting is depicted in golden hues. When the baker, Van Amsterdam, refuses to give an old woman an extra St. Nicholas cookie as part of her dozen, she utters a curse, "Fall again, mount again, learn how to count again!" As his business crumbles, Van Amsterdam learns the lesson of generosity. This tradition of 13, a baker's dozen, is still a practice with some bakeries.Children's Literature -
A Saint Nicholas tale that not only speaks to the true spirit of Christmas, but explains the origin of the term "bakers dozen." The setting is a Dutch colonial town in New York and its baker Van Amsterdam is known for his Saint Nicholas cookies. When he refuses to accept an old woman's statement that she wants a dozen of his famous cookies and that to her a dozen is thirteen, everything in his life starts to crumble. Eventually with the help of Saint Nicholas, the baker learns the spirit of generosity, and he and his business thrive again. And from that day on, a baker's dozen has always been thirteen.Ilene Cooper
A particularly nice holiday story accented by paintings full of detail. Based on a folktale from the colonial period, this tells of a baker named Van Amsterdam, who, though honest, is not exactly generous. When an old woman comes to his shop for gingerbread cookies made in the shape of Saint Nicholas, she asks for a baker's dozen of 13. Van Amsterdam insists that a dozen consists of 12. After that, his cookies seem bewitched: they burn or taste awful. Only after Saint Nicholas comes to him in a dream does he realize that being honest doesn't preclude being open-handed. Well paced and a good length for groups or individuals, this is right on target for audiences. Edelson's artwork is filled with marvelously alive characters who almost step from the pages. Reminiscent of Jan Brett's work, at least in their detail, the pictures are the sort kids will enjoy looking at for many holidays to come.Book Details
Published
October 1, 1995
Publisher
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1995.
Pages
32
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780689802980